Control for electric motors



April 1949. c. MANNEY 2,467,397

CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS Filed Sept. 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Charlgs J. Manney ,2; 7 Q-LM,W,MGMAI ATTORN EYS April 19, 1949.. c. .1. MANNEY 2,467,397

CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 194a far ' \NVENTOR Charles J. Manney ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 19 19 2?? CQNTROL FOR ELECTRIOMOTORS Gharies J. Manney, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Golmnbus McKinnon Chain Corporation, Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 4, 19.43,,Serial No. 501,223

4 IJLainis.

My invention relates in general to control for electric motors, and particularly to electric motors of power driven hoists capable of being operated at a number of different speeds in either direction.

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a simple control having a minimum number of contacts for controlling a reversing motor at a number of different speeds.

Another object has been to provide a speed contactor having the contacts controlling one speed normally closed, and those controlling the other speed actuated to energize the circuit controlled thereby.

Moreover, my control is provided with a set of contacts heldnormally closed by spring pressure, or actuated to closed position by such pressure, and another set of contacts controlling the other speed actuated to closed position by solenoid means.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a control embodying my invention; and,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modification of the invention.

In the drawings, for clearness of illustration, all mechanical parts are shown only in diagram for the reason that the various contact elements are standard articles of manufacture, and for the reason that various modifications the connections maybe made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the drawings I have shown but two forms of the invention, that shown in Fig. 1 having a speed contactor with normally closed high-speed contacts and slow-speed contacts which must be energized to close. In Fig. 2 I show a form of the invention in which the slow-speed contacts are normally engaged, energization for high speed only being necessary.

Referring first to the form of invention shown in Fig. 1, it! represents the directional contactor of my invention; l l the speed contactor thereof; and 12 the push button unit used to control the current to both directional and speed conta-ctors. The electric motor which may be for the operation of the hoist is represented at it. In the commercial structure the electric motor together with the directional and speed contactors l0 and II, respectively, are mounted within the hoist casing, and the push button unit is suspended therefrom andwithin easy reach of the operator. The .variouspartgare connectedtogether in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The motor I3, is of the type having separate windings (not shown) for slow speed and high speed and is also of the type which is reversible in its direction of. rotation. The motor and other parts of my invention as shown and describedare. for the use of polyphase alternating current, but obviously my invention is applicable to the use of single-phase alternatingor dinect current.

The directional contactor H] which controls the hoisting and lowering movement of the hoist is provided with a group of hoisting stationary contacts l4'l5, and Iii-ll, and with a groupof stationary lowering contacts 3fi-2'l, and 22-43. ..erminal points 25 and 21 are also provided on this contactor for the hoisting circuit and lowering circuits, respectively, and terminal points 24 and 26 are also provided which are connected to.-

gether by a jumper 3%. In order to bring about the reversal of current supplied to the motor IS, the contact points it and 2.! are connected by means of a jumper 3|, and contact points l4v and 23are connected by means of a jumper. 32. Contactxpoints i5 and 255 are connected together by means of a jumper 3,3, and contact points I! and QEarelikewise connected togetherby means of a jumper '34.

The directional contactor HLisprovided with a.

reciprocating member 35 for the hoisting circuit and with a reciprocating member 36 for the lowering circuit. The member 35 carries contact arms in and M for engagement, respectively,

Withthe contacts I i-l5 andv Iii-l1. for-closing,

the circuits governed by these contacts. A solenoid when energized, causes the actuationof the reciprocating member 35. This solenoid is connected to the terminal point .25 atone side and at the other side to a terminal point. 43. The reciprocating member 36 for the lowering circuit carries contactarms 44 and 45 which are engage-able, respectively, with contact points Bil-'2! and. 22-23, for closing the circuits controlled by these contactpoints. The reciprocating member 3,5 is actuated by means of. asolenoid 4.6. whiclrhas o e side connectedto the terminal point 21 and the other side connected to a terminal "point 5!]. The terminal points. and are gconnectedtogether by means of, a jumperlll.

Power. is supplied to the directional contactor and other parts of theinvention as wellasto the various circuits .to be hereinafter. described, throughleads 5.1.; 52. and 53. Thelead 51 .is connected to contact pointZlB' and thenceto contact point 24 over jumper 30; the lead 52 is connected to contact points I! and 22 over jumper 34. The lead 53 is connected to contact points I and 25 over jumper 53. The power line 52 is connected to the jumper 37 connecting terminal points 33 and 50.

The speed contactor I I comprises two groups of slow-speed contact points 54-55 and 56-51. This contactor is also provided with groups of high-speed contact points GIl-tI and 52-63. The contact points @I and 55 are to be connected to a common point on the directional contactor III and therefore they are connected together by means of a jumper 55. In like manner the contacts 51 and 63 are to be connected to a common point on the directional contactor and are therefore connected together by means of a jumper 65. The speed contactor is provided with a reciprocating member 56 which carries four contact arms I0, 1|, I2 and I3. The contact arms In and I3 serve to connect the high-speed contact points Bil-6| and 62-53, respectively. In like manner the contact arms II and I2 serve to connect the slow-speed contact points 54-55 and tit-57, re-- spectively. As hereinbefo-re stated, the reciprocating member I55 of the speed contactor is preferably actuated in one direction by means of a spring (not shown) and in the other direction by means of a solenoid 74, which is connected to terminal point I5 and points I5. In carrying out my invention the spring means (not shown) may be utilized to normally retain either the high-speed contact points 50-5! and 52-63 in closed position as shown in the form of invention of Fig. 1, or the slow-speed contacts 54-55 and 56-51 in normally closed. position, as shown in the corresponding contact points of the modification of Fig. 2. In the form of invention shoWn in Fig. 1, however, the movable member 66 is actuated by the solenoid It to close the low-speed contact points 54-55 and 55-57, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The push button unit of my invention is a standard article of manufacture and comprises two push buttons 85 and III, the push button 80 being for the purpose of energizing the motor I3 to elevate the load at either slow speed or fast speed, and the button 8| being for the purpose of energizing the motor in reverse or lowering direction at either slow speed or fast speed. The unit is provided with two reciprocating members 82 and 83 which carry the buttons 80 and BI, respectively. The member 82 carries two movable contact arms 84 and 85, the contact arm 85 being provided with an elongated leg 86, and the contact arm 85 likewise with an elongated arm 81. The member 83 carries contact arms 5!) and 9|, the arm 90 having an elongated leg 92, and the arm 9| having an elongated leg 93. The push button unit is provided with suitable stationary contacts Stand 95 engageable, respectively, by the arm 84 and the arm 85 together with its elongated leg 81. In like manner the stationary contacts 96 and 91 are provided for en agement, respectively, withthe contact arm 90 and the contact arm SI and its elongated leg 93. Stationary contacts I00 and I III are also provided on the push button unit for engagement, respectively, with the elongated legs 86 and 92 Stationary contacts I00 and I III are connected together by means of a jumper I I12, and contacts 94 and 95 are likewise connected together by means of a jumper I53.

The motor I3, as hereinbefore pointed out, is provided with two separate windings, one for slow speed and one for high speed. These windings are not shown in the drawings but the terminals extending from them are illustrated. Terminal points I93, I54 and I 55 are connected to the slowspeed winding, and terminal points I55, I07 and I 58 are connected to the high-speed winding. Since terminal points I55 and I08 are common to both slow-speed and high-speed windings, they are shown connected together by means of a jumper I It, receiving current from contact point 2d over lead H6.

Having thus described the various elements forming a part of my invention, I will now describe the various circuits and connections between them. The jumpers 65 and 32 are connected together by means of lead I I I. The jumpe-rs I55 and 3i are connected together by means of lead III. The slow-speed terminal points I03 and Hit of the motor receive their current from contact points 54 and 55, respectively, of the speed contactor over leads H2 and H3, respectively. The high-speed terminal points I06 and IB'I of the motor receive current from the contact points 51 and 62, respectively, over leads II Ii and H5, respectively.

The contact point Iii!) of the push button unit I2 receives current from the power line 5| by means of a lead I28. The contact point is connected to the terminal point 25 of the directional contactor through lead I2I, and the contact point 9? is connected by means of lead I22 to the terminal point 2?. Contact points 94 and 55, connected together by means of the jumper I59, are connected by means of the lead I23 to the terminal point It of the speed contactor II. The terminal point 15 of this contactor is connected to jumper 34 and to the power line 52 by means of lead I24.

As hereinbefore stated, it is within the scope of my invention to have the slow-speed contacts of the speed contactor normally engaged so that when the push button unit is actuated to operate the motor in either direction, current will be immediately applied to the slow-speed winding (not shown) of the motor. Such a form of the invention is shown in Fig. 2 where the speed contactor I25 is shown provided with slow-speed contact points IZIi-IZ'I and I5II-IZII. Fast-speed contact points I32-i33 and It'd-I35 are also provided. Contact points I33 and I2! are connected by means of a jumper I3? and contact points I5I-I35 are likewise connected by means of a jumper I33. The reciprocating member I35 of this contactor carries contact arms M0, I II, M2 and H53. Contact arms I l-I and I52 are shown in their normal positions where they will contact with and connect the two groups of slow-speed contact points Hit-I2? and IMP-13E, respectively. The contact arms M5 and IE3 are engageable, respectively with the high-speed contact points I52-I33 and Mid-I35. The reciprocating member I35 of this contactor is normally held in the position shown by spring means (not shown) in the manner similar to the speed con tactor I I of the other form of invention. A solenoid M is provided for actuating the reciproeating member I35 and it is connected to terminal points M5 and I55.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 2, it is obvious that the solenoid I 35 of the speed con-- tactor is not actuated when the directional contactor ii? is operated to actuate the motor in either direction at slow speed because of the normally engaged slow-speed contact points. The push button unit I438 for use in connection with the speed contactor I725 is therefore provided with only two stationary contact points I47 and I49 for the hoisting button and two stationary con-tact points I59 and I M for the lowering button of the unit. Two contact points 552 and S53 are, however, provided for causing the solenoid M4 to be energized to move the reciprocating member I36. The stationary contact points and Hill are connected together by of a jumper I54, and the stationary contact points I53 are likewise connected together by means of a jumper M5. The push button uni vided with two directional reciprocating inc ice-rs 255 and IE9 actuated by push buttons and I 62, respectively. The member provided with contact arms its and I55 having elongate legs 5% and IE5, respectively. The member is provided with contact arms V52 hai I elongated legs ii! and lit.

The directional contactor Iii ane the motor used in this form of invention are identical to those of the other form hcreinbefore described, and therefore the same reference nui used on the various parts.

In connecting up the o m of intention sl": in Fig. 2, current is co: contact point t ll of the pus from contact point of the tactor 26 by means of lead iii contact point MB of this unit is connects terminal point 25 by means of lead 853%, a stationary contact point i555 is connected to the terminal point 2'5 by means of lead I522. The jumpers it'll and are connected, respeato the leads ill and ill coming from the tional contactor iii. The leads M2 and H53 coming from the slow-speed contact po 593 and iil l are connected to the slow-speed contact points 525 and I39, respectively. In similar manner the leads. Md and M5 coming from the high-speed winding terminal points Hit and respectively, are connected to the high-speed contact points i352 and respectively.

Instead of reversing the contact a speed contactor of Fig. l. to the po shown in the form of Fig. 2, it is obvious that the -i eed contactor lI might be used to carry out in, invention provided the slow-speed leads I22 and H3 and the highspeed leads Md and were reversed, i. e. leads H2 and l ft connected to contact points fill and 52, respectively, ads H t and H5 connected to contact points 5'5 and respectively.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that there are three distinct kinds of circuits in my invention which may be characterized as power circuits, motor circuits, and control circuits. In order to distinguish these circuits, I have illustrated the power circuits by heavy lines, the motor circuits by medium width lines, and the control circuits by light lines.

Having thus described the various parts of my invention I will now describe its operation with special reference to the form of invention shown in Fig. 1. Assuming that it may be desired to operate the motor It in a direction to elevate a load carried by the hoist, the operator pushes the button 83 inwardly a limited amount which will bring contact arms 3 1- and 85 in contact with stationary contacts 35 and 955, respectively, and elongated leg 85 into contact with. the stationary contact Hi8. Current will then flow from the 7 power line EeI through terminal point 26 and over the control lead I26 to contact 5539. The current will be divided by means of the arms 3& and S and will flow from point 55 over lead I2l to the terminal point 25 of the directional cons of the tactor II]. The solenoid 42 connected therewith will thereby be energized, causing the reciprocating member 35 to be actuated to close contacts Hil5 and IS-I'I. Current from the solenoid 62 will return to the power line 52 through jumper i'l. Simultaneously with the actuation of the solenoid 42, the solenoid M of the speed contactor I! will also be actuated over lead I23 which connects the terminal point it of this contactor to the stationary contact 84 of the push button unit through the stationary contact and jumper I59, current returning from terminal point 75 of this solenoid over lead 524 to jumper to the power line This movement of the re-- ciprocating member 56 of the speed contactor II will serve to bring contact arms 76 and 72 in contact, respectively, with contact points 5 155 and 55-51. When contact points i i-I5 and Iii-41 are connected, respectively, by means of the arms ill and 4!, current will flow from power line 52 through contacts I'II%3, over lead i ll and to the slow-speed terminal Hit of the motor through the soleneid-closed contact points lz l li'ri and lead H3. Furthermore, current will flow from power line 53 through contacts ilil l and over lead iii and jumper and thence to the slow-speed terminal point it through contact points 54 and 55 and lead M2. Current will also flow from power line through jumper 38 and terminal point M to the slow-speed terminal I95 over lead i 56 and jumper Iill. The motor will thus be operated in the selected elevating direction at slow speed. Should the operator now desire to operate the motor at high speed in the same direction, he pushes the button 8E: inwardly to the limit of its movement which causes the arm 8 to break contact with the contact point 94 while maintaining contact with stationary contact Idil through the elongated leg 86. Furthermore, contact of the elongated leg 8'! of arm $5 is maintained with the stationary contact 95. Obviously, just as soon as contact of the arm 84 with contact point 54 is broken, the solenoid 74 of the speed contactor will be deenergized, thereby permitting the reciprocating member 56 thereof to be forced to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus connecting together the groups of highspeed contact points 53i26l and 52-53. Current will thus be supplied to the high-speed terminal points E36 and iii"! of the motor over leads lI4 H5, respectively, current to the high-speed terminal point it? being supplied by jumper Iii! and lead H6. When the operator removes his finger from the button 89, it will be returned by spring pressure to the normal position shown and in returning will momentarily actuate the solenoid M of the speed contact in a manner hereinbefore described, thus actuating the motor at slow speed before the current is interrupted to the motor through the push button unit and directional contactor. When it is desired to operate the motor in the opposite direction the operator actuates push button iii. If he desires to operate at slow speed, he moves the button only sufiicien ly to bring contact arms Q3 and ti in contact with stationary contacts 95 and 93, respectively. When in this position the elongated leg 92 will be in contact with the point liii. Current will now flow from the lead i253 through contact points we and IQI to the lead I23 through arm 9? and contact point 95 to the solenoid M of the speed contactor, current returning from the terminal point I5 of the solenoid over lead I24, as hereinbefore described. Current will also flow from contact point 53'! over lead I22 to the solea ienate hold 46 of the directional contactor, thus causing the reciprocating member 36 thereof to close the groups of contacts 2I and 2223. Current will now flow from power line 52 over jumper 34 to contact point 22 through contact arm to contact point 23 and thence over jumper 32 to lead III and thence to contact which through arm ll will be connected to contact 54 and to slow-speed terminal point I63 through the lead IE2. Current will also flow from power line 53 over jumper 33 to contact point 26 through arm Mi to contact point 21, over jumper 3| and lead It! to contact point 5? of the speed contactor and thence through the arm 12, contact point 55 and lead II3 to the other slow-speed terminal point IM. When the operator wishes to use the high speed, he pushes the button 8| inwardly to move the arm 90 past the contact point 96 thereby interrupting the circuit to the solenoid Hi over lead I23, ole-energizing the solenoid and allowing the reciprocating member 655 of the contactor to return to its normal position, whereby the slow-speed Winding of the motor will be de-energized and the high-speed winding energized through terminal points it and It by the engagement of arms It and T2 with contact points Ell-6i and 5263, respectively.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 2 when the button Iiil is actuated to operate the motor in one direction at slow speed, contact points I i! and I49 are connected together by means of the arms I63 and 65 and their respective elongated legs I64 and IE6. Current will thus be supplied to only one control circuit instead of to two control circuits as in the form just above described. Current will pass from contact point I47 to contact point It?) and over lead IZI to the solenoid 42 of the directional actuator It for causing the arms All and 4! carried by the re ciprocatin member 35 to close contacts iii-iii and I5I1 thereby operating the motor in the selected direction over circuits hereinbefore de-- scribed, and through normally closed contacts i26-I2'I through arm ME, and normally closed contacts I30I3I through the arm M2. When the operator now desires to increase the speed of the motor so as to operate it at the faster rate, he pushes the button IEI inwardly to the limit of its movement thereby bringing the arm $65 in contact with contact point E52 while maintaining contact of the respective arms with contact points I4! and M9. Current will thus be conducted from contact point I52, jumper I55, contact point 553, to the solenoid I44 of the speed contactor ii't through lead 55'! and terminal Hit, current returning from terminal M5 to the power line through lead I25 in a manner hereinbeiore described. When the solenoid I44 is energized, the reciprocating member I 36 will be actuated to open normally closed slow-speed contacts I 26- I21 and I3EiI3I and close fast-speed contact points I32-l33 and Is4-l35 through contact arms MI} and I43, respectively, thus allowing the current coming over leads Ill and I ill to be connected directly to the fast-speed terminal points I06 and IM over leads H4 and I i5.

From the foregoing, it will be clear that when the hoisting push button of the push button unit of either form of the invention is operated part way, current will energize the hoisting solenoid of the directional contactor. Simultaneously with this operation, the solenoid of the speed contactor, in the form of Fig. 1 will be energized to cause current to flow to the slow windings of the motor. If it should now be desired to increase the speed of the hoist while operatin in the same direction, the push button will be forced all the way in, which through the circuits and contacts above described will cause the solenoids of the speed contactor of Fig. 1 to be de-energized, thus closing the proper contacts of this contactor to energize the high-speed windings of the motor. When it is desired to operate the hoist in the opposite direction, the lowering push button will be operated and current will be conducted to the motor either for slow speed or for hig p depending on the amount of movement of the button, through the speed contactor in a manner similar to that above described in connection with hoisting.

The actuation of the form of invention shown in Fig. 2 is identical to that of Fig. 1 except that when hoisting or lowering at slow speed the normally closed contacts of the speed contactor will conduct current directly to the slow speed windings of the motor, the solenoid of the speed contactor being energized in this form only when it is desired to operate the hoist in either direction at high speed.

For clearness of illustration, I have shown the control circuits as energized directly from the power lines 5i and 52, but where high Voltage current is used for the motor, it is within the scope of my invention to reduce the voltage in the control circuits, which may be done in well known manner by the use of a transformer. Furthermore, while I have shown a magnetically operated directional contactor, it is obvious that a mechanically operated or manual device may be used to determine the direction of rotation of the motor.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

1. A control for an electric hoist having a two speed reversible motor, comprising a directional contactor having a set of normally open hoisting contacts, a set of normally open lowering contacts, and separate electromagnetic means for each set of said contacts, each of said electromagnetic means being operable independently of the other, a separate directional control circuit for each electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means being connected to a common point of contact, manual means for directing a supply of current to either of said control circuits, a speeddetermining contactor having two sets of contacts, one of the last mentioned sets of contacts being normally in circuit-closing relation with either set of directional contacts, and separate F speed-determining electromagnetic means operable by said manual means for opening said normally closed set of contacts and closing said normally open set of contacts.

2. A control for an electric hoist having a two speed reversible motor, comprising a directional contactor having a set of normally open hoisting contacts, a set of normally open lowering contacts, and a single separate electromagnetic means for each set of said contacts, each of said electromagnetic means being operable independently of the other, a separate directional control circuit for each electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means being connected to a common point of contact, manual means for directing a supply of current to either of said control circuits, a speed-determining contactor having two sets of contacts, one of the last mentioned sets of contacts being normally in circuit-closing relation with either set of directional contacts, and separate speed-determinimg electromagneticmeans operable by said manual means in synchronism with the closing of each of said directional sets of contacts for opening said normally closed set of contacts and closing said normally open set of contacts.

3. A control for an electric hoist having a two speed reversible motor, comprising a directional contactor having a set of normally open hoisting contacts, a set of normally open lowering contacts, and a single separate electromagnetic means for each set of said contacts, each of said electromagnetic means being operable independently of the other, a separate directional control circuit for each electromagnetic means, said e1ectromagnetic means being connected to a common point of contact, manual means for directing a supply of current to either of said control circuits, a speed-determining contactor having two sets of contacts, one of the last mentioned sets of contacts being normally in circuit-closing relation with either set of directional contacts, and separate speed-determining electromagnetic means operable by said manual means in sequence with the closing of each of said directional sets of contacts for opening said normally closed set of contacts and closing said normally Open set of contacts.

4. A control for an electric hoist having a two speed reversible motor, comprising a directional contactor having a set of normally open hoisting contacts, a set of normally open lowering contacts, and separate electromagnetic means for each set of said contacts, each of said electromagnetic means being operable independently of the other, a separate directional control circuit for each electromagnetic means, said electrc magnetic means being connected to a common point of contact, manual means for directing a supply of current to either of said control circuits, a speed-determining contactor having two sets of contacts, one of the last mentioned sets of contacts being normally in circuit-closing rela tion with either set of directional contacts, and separate speed-determinin electromagnetic means operable by said manual means for opening said normally closed set of contacts and closing said normally open set of contacts, said speeddetermining electromagnetic means being connected to said common point of contact.

CHARLES J. MANNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 14,539 Keefer Oct. 22, 1918 1,011,783 Hellmund Dec. 12, 1911 1,947,677 Seeger et al Feb. 20, 1934 2,073,238 Byerlein Mar. 9, 1937 2,280,914 Johns Apr. 28, 1942 2,312,243 Evans Feb. 23, 1943 2,319,661 Conway May 18, 1943 2,332,390 Manney Oct. 19, 1943 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,467,397. April 19, 1949.

CHARLES J. MANNEY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 15, for contacts 3021 read contacts 2021 and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and scaled this 20th day of September, A. D. 1949.

[smrj JOE E. DANIELS,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,467,397. April 19, 1949.

CHARLES J. MANNEY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 15, for contacts 3021 read contacts 2021 and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of September, A. D. 1949.

[REAL] JOE E. DANIELS,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

